It’s Halloween! Full disclosure: we don’t really have Halloween in Australia. It’s a very new thing for us, and only in recent years has the insistent desire of teenagers to dress up and get drunk finally brought the holiday into the semi-mainstream.
So, my Halloween is a very 21st century Halloween, meaning that the traditional flavours of molasses, pumpkin, and cinnamon don’t really mean much to me, especially since it’s Springtime here in Oz. No, for me, Halloween is just a celebration of the great American combo – chocolate and peanut butter.
I was definitely late to peanut butter and chocolate as a pairing. It wasn’t until I saw Lindsay Lohan and her twin (I refuse to believe they were both her) in the remake of ‘The Parent Trap’ eating Oreos with peanut butter that I finally came around to the idea.
[Also, you should know that The Parent Trap is about the scariest movie I ever want to watch. So yeah, Halloween isn’t really my thang. But JUST YOU WAIT for Christmas. I’m like Buddy the Elf.]
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Fondant is the most efficient PB & chocolate delivery system I could come up with, and it’s kind of perfect for a grown-up Halloween dessert. Also, it’s super easy to scale down to just two, so perfect if you’re just hanging out at home with a pal.
This is not a traditional fondant, which would involve whipped up eggs, and much folding of ingredients. It’s a very simple, one bowl operation where everything just gets stirred together. In fact, this would be kind of perfect to do with a little’un, if you happen to have one.
The centre of these cakes underbakes, and the peanut butter turns to liquid, so when you bust through the cakey outer layer, a river of happiness comes flowing out. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is just about the only way to improve this, other than wearing pyjamas and watching a decidedly non-scary movie. In fact, I might just turn on Elf, and try and act like Halloween’s not happening. And dammit, if I have to see that ad for Annabelle again, I’m going to be very upset. Let me know what your Halloween plans are in the comments below! Am I the only one who’s not a fan of scary movies?
xx Sarah.
- 5 oz (150g) butter, plus extra for greasing
- 5 oz (150g) dark chocolate (min. 60% cocoa solids)
- ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (35g) plain flour
- 4 tsp smooth peanut butter (I used Kraft brand)
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C, and butter four small ramekins (about ¾ cup capacity).
- Place the butter and the chocolate into a large microwave safe bowl and melt in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each.
- Once the butter and chocolate are melted, stir in the sugar, then stir in the eggs, and finally the flour. Once the flour is in, beat the mixture quite vigorously for about 30 seconds, or until it comes together in a smooth, silky batter.
- Take about half of this batter and pour it evenly into the ramekins, and then add a tsp of peanut butter into each. Pour over the remaining batter to cover the peanut butter.
- Now, the fondants can either be baked straight away for 15 minutes, or you can place them into the fridge, covered, for up to a day and then bake for 20 minutes. Either way, they will puff up slightly and have a matte top, with an obvious jiggle if you shake them. You can serve them in the ramekins or turn them out - either way a scoop of vanilla ice cream is perfect with these!
YUM! Looks incredible.
Oh no scary movies for me either. I can’t even watch the commercials. Eeekk. This looks like the perfect way to celebrate Halloween! A river of Peanut Butter + chocolate = Amazing!
What!! No seriously, what?!?! This is so incredible. Love the chocolate with the melty peanut butter, Gimme!
Bestest Halloween treat ever. No doubt.
Ha… The Parent Trap! um, i only just learned that pb+c (my number one addiction/favourite flavour combo) is a north american thing – a friend who moved to the UK told me that it doesn’t exist there. Sarah have you ever had Reese peanut butter cups?? I will seriously mail you some if you haven’t. I would like to eat my way through a bathtub full … which reminds me, this peanut butter and chocolate dish you’ve created looks soooo good… !
These look absolutely incredible! T will be making them in very near future. Also I love The Sugar Hit and all of your recipes and photos. You’re one of my favorite blogs!
You did better than me – I couldn’t even watch the trailer for Annabelle! That is a messed up movie. Kudos on your river of happiness, it looks bloody good!
First, these look amazing – Peanut butter anything is my jam! Also, NO to scary movies!! They freak me out so much!
Happy Halloween! I am a little obsessed with the swirls of liquid peanut butter and chocolate happening on that plate. If people gave out these cakes to trick or treaters, you had better believer I would be dressed to the nines and knocking on doors all night long! As it is, I’ll just have to make this for myself. :)
These look amazing, peanut butter and chocolate is the best!!
Scary films are my absolute favorite, one of the first films I remember watching as a child was Nightmare on Elm Street. I had kind of an unconventional upbringing ;)
Katie xoxo
I want to go for a swim in the peanut butter deliciousness. HOLY AWESOME!!
This will absolutely be dessert tonight! After we give out two enormous bags of candy to all the little monsters who come a’knocking. Like you, we’ll watch a NON scary movie. Hate hate hate horror movies. Like Liz, I can’t even watch the commercials! Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll get my husband to watch Harry Potter with me. :D
LOL. I LOVED THe Parent Trap (both the original and the Lindsay Lohan version), and I also hate scary movies. And Elf is the best. (The “Syrup in COFFEE!!!” line inspired me to put maple syrup in my coffee. It’s amazing.)
This Dessert sounds so good!!!
I’m pretty sure fondant has a completely different meaning in the US because I have never seen it in this form — I think we call this a “molten cake” — buuuut whatever you call it, it’s love. That melty peanut butter is out of control, I am having visions of myself licking the plate clean, literally. Scary or not, Happy Halloween!
Oh, that looks so GREAT!
Oh. My. Goodness. That peanut butter shot has me drooling all over my keyboard.. you’re too incredible! seriously, that flavour combo is just the best! Looks amazing – yum!
Wow, never would have thought of this. What a great idea.
Beautiful beautiful beautiful! This looks so freaking good! Love the photos and pB & chocolate are my absolute favorite. We don’t have many plans this eve so now I’m tempted to make these….
I’m not sure what’s better, your sense of humor or that dessert! I’ll just have to keep coming back for more. LOOOOOVE your site.
Wow, thanks Jenny! I hope you do keep coming back!
Chocolate fondants are my go-to dessert when I can’t think of anything better but I’ve never put peanut butter in there. I’d LOVE that but I’m usually the only American/Aussie at the table so I figure they’ll roll their eyes. I need better family and friends, obviously.
Hahaha, obviously Maureen! They need to embrace the way of the PB & choc!
The parent trap was my inspiration to eat oreos and peanut butter too!! But I am all about the horror movies. I watched 2 yesterday :)
But seriously now. This looks amazing!!
I hate scary movies, however, my boyfriend insists i watch them with him. *sigh*
Aaargh! You poor thing! I couldn’t do it, I’m way too easily freaked out.
I seriously just drooled looking at this. Seriously.
Here in the US, chocolate and peanut butter are a classic combination. In a pinch, people have been known take a spoonful of peanut butter and decorate it with chocolate chips and call it a snack! Never heard of a fondant (thought that was a kind of candy?) but here we call this a molten chocolate cake…. Your version looks amazing!
Wow! These look so easy and I think I have all the ingredients. Must make soon!
Bahahahaa yes! at least we’re good for something-pb & chocolate alllll the way (I totally started eating oreo’s and pb after seeing parent trap also!) I-additionally-do not do scary movies and looove Christmas!
and yeah, this is essentially the perfect dessert. It has everything I could want!!